Naheed not ready to join hands with Nawaz

LAHORE - Despite being grateful to PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif for his compliments, and also having similar views on the issue of PM Gilani’s conviction, the estranged PPP leader, Naheed Khan, is not ready to join hands with the PML-N leader in his effort to oust the convicted premier. “If Nawaz Sharif invites me to discuss national issues, all friends in my group will sit together and take some decision about extending cooperation to the PML-N”, she told this scribe when asked to comment on Nawaz Sharif’s latest statement that he would also contact Naheed Khan to join hands with him to force Yusuf Raza Gilani to quit. Asked if she supported the stance taken by the PML-N on PM Gilani’s conviction, she replied: “We must respect rule of law and the decisions of the judiciary to set an example for the future”. She also said that PM Gilani was under moral obligation to step down immediately after his conviction by the Supreme Court. On being asked why was she reluctant to join the PML-N movement against the government when there was unanimity of views on the issue in question, she answered: “Yes, but I am in the PPP and he (Nawaz) has taken a position on the issue being head of another party”. She said she was struggling within the party to set the things right by telling party’s leadership to take wise decisions on sensitive issues. However, the PPP leader said she had lot of respect for Mian Nawaz Sharif for showing a number of good gestures at the time of signing of CoD with Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in 2006; and even after her death. Naheed said she was grateful to Mian sahib for remembering a political worker in such a good words. She believed that country was heading towards chaos and confrontation among state institutions due to wrong policies of the present leadership. The present conflict between the government and the judiciary is not in country’s interest, she added. When asked what Benazir Bhutto might have done as prime minister under a similar situation, Naheed said she (BB) would not have allowed the things to come to a point of no return. “Even Shaheed Z.A Bhutto and Shaheed BB never ridiculed the judiciary despite having reservations on certain decisions, she said, adding that though the PPP had been treated unfairly in the past, but party leaders never spoiled the system. She desired that party bigwigs should put their heads together and try to understand which party strategy had brought the situation to this point.“It is the time that Asif Ali Zardari should take a decision whether he wanted to save the system or intended to destroy everything”, she remarked. On writing letter to the Swiss authorities, she said Asif Zardari should have taken it as an opportunity to get his and BB’s name cleared regarding the allegations. According to her, Asif Zardari had made the issue complicated by not allowing the PM to comply with the court orders. “The PPP should review its policies and Zardari should take sagacious decisions to save the system”, she concluded.